Attachment to a hydroponic conduit

ABSTRACT

A hydroponic conduit can be converted to drainage conduit by providing an attachment on which a plant container can be supported. The attachment comprises a circular plate on which the plant containers sits, drainage means (ribs, grooves etc.) and a central aperture in the circular plate to allow water to drain from the circular plate, and a short collar or spout on the bottom of the circular plate which passes into an opening in the hydroponic conduit to allow water to drain into the conduit. A second support means can be provided which is attached to the hydroponic conduit and which provides additional support to the attachment.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention is directed to an attachment that can be fitted tohydroponic conduit to improve the versatility of the conduit. In oneform, the attachment can allow a plant container such as a plant pot ora planter bag to be supported on the conduit such that anywater/nutrient mixture passing through the pot or bag will pass into theconduit.

BACKGROUND ART

Hydroponics involves growing plants in the absence of soil. Typically,the required nutrient and water is delivered to the plant root system inthe form of an aqueous nutrient solution that passes over the root ballof the plant. Hydroponic techniques have certain advantages over moreconventional agriculture that includes the ability to carefully controloptimum feeding, the elimination of weeds, and improved control of pestsand diseases.

Typically, a channel or conduit is provided through which the nutrientsolution passes. The channel or conduit may comprise a closed pipe ortube, a closed channel or drain and the like. If a pipe or tube isprovided, this may have various shapes including circular, oval,rectangular, square, irregular configurations and the like. The pipe ortube may be formed of a semirigid material such as PVC plastic, or maybe formed from a very flexible plastic bag-like material. If thematerial is very flexible, it is generally required to fill the bag witha medium other than soil. These mediums can include sand, gravel, fibremediums and the like. The medium will provide dimensional stability tothe bag, but can interfere with flow-through of nutrient solution andthe like. Therefore, it is generally preferable to have a semi rigidconduit typically formed of polyvinyl chloride, such that a growingmedium is not required to provide shape and stability to the conduit.

Earlier filed USA patent application 09/196638 has matured into U.S.Pat. No. 6,336,292, granted Jan. 8, 2002, to Desmond J. Boxsell. Suchpatent describes an elliptical conduit for use with a hydroponicapparatus. The elliptical conduit provides an ideal cross-section forroot growth that was similar to normal root growth in soil. It was foundthat the elliptical conduit provides a faster and better growth ofplants.

Some plants are best grown in pots or planter bags as opposed to in ahydroponic system. For instance, the plant might be too large to growproperly in a hydroponic system. Alternatively, the plant may not besuited for growing in a medium devoid of soil. A disadvantage of growingand maintaining plants in pots or planter bags is in dealing with theused water that drains from the pot or bag. In some countries, thiswater can contaminate aquifers, creeks, streams and rivers. In othercountries, water is precious and should not be merely drained away. Manycountries have introduced legislation to penalise growers whocontaminate ground water with run-off.

A hydroponic system efficiently reuses and recycles water. Therefore,there would be an advantage if part of a hydroponic system could be usedfor plants grown in pots or planter bags.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to an attachment or assembly that canbe attached to a hydroponic conduit and which can support a plantcontainer such as a plant pot or planter bag. The attachment or assemblycan be designed to drain any water into the hydroponic conduit. In thismanner, water is not lost from the system and does not contaminateaquifers, creeks, streams and the like. The water can also be reused.When not required, the attachment or assembly can be simply removed fromthe hydroponic conduit to allow plants to be grown in a hydroponicmanner.

It is an object of the invention to provide an attachment to ahydroponic conduit and which may overcome at least part of theabovementioned disadvantages and/or provide the public with a useful orcommercial choice.

In one form, the invention resides in an attachment for a hydroponicconduit of the type which has an at least partially rigid wall, theattachment comprising a support means to support a plant container andthe like, drainage means adapted to collect water passing out of thecontainer, and communication means to communicate the water from thedrainage means into the hydroponic conduit.

In this manner, the attachment can be used to “convert” the hydroponicconduit from a pure hydroponic system into a water recovery,recirculation and reuse system.

Suitably, the hydroponic conduit is provided with at least one, andtypically a plurality, of openings. These openings are typicallysubstantially linearly aligned along a top of the hydroponic conduit andfunction to allow plants to grow through the openings using hydroponictechniques. Such hydroponic conduit is known. The conduit typicallycomprises a rigid or substantially rigid tube. The tube may have anysuitable length and can have lengths of between 1-6 m or more. The tubemay have various cross sections, and typical cross sections includecircular, oval, and various channel shaped cross sections. A known typeof tube is formed from PVC having a wall thickness of between 1-5 mm.The tube is provided with a number of cutouts or openings that areusually round and extend along an upper wall of the tube, with openingsbeing in linear alignment. The spacing between the openings can vary(depending on the plant size etc.) but is typically between 10-30 cm.The opening has a diameter or cross-section that can vary (againdepending on the plant size and plant type) but is typically between2-10 cm. As mentioned above, the precise type of hydroponic conduit neednot form part of the invention except that it is used as a support forthe attachment that does form part of the invention.

The attachment has a support means that is adapted to support a plant.As the plant is typically provided in a plant pot, planter bag, or someother type of plant container, this support means should be designed toprovide support for this type of article. A simple type of support meanscomprises a substantially flat platform or tray on which the plant potor other container can be placed. However, other types of support meansare envisaged including support means which support the containeragainst tipping, support means which can hold the container in aparticular orientation, angle, height and the like. The support meansmay grip the side of the container, support the container via the rim ofthe container, or simply provide a platform on which the container canbe placed.

The attachment has a drainage means to collect water passing from theplant container. In a simple form of the invention, the support meansand the drainage means may be at least partially combined, and may forma drainage tray which supports the plant container on top of the tray,and also drains water which passes from the plant container.

The drainage tray may have various shapes and sizes. A preferred shapewill be circular or substantially circular, as most plant pots orplanter bags are substantially circular. However, the drainage tray mayalso have shapes other than circular including rectangular and the like.

The drainage tray should be made of material which is strong enough tosupport a plant container, and should preferably be made of materialwhich is resistant to corrosion, rusting, rotting, cracking and thelike. A suitable material would include plastics, although the drainagetray is not to be limited to merely plastic material.

The size of the drainage tray may vary depending on various factors. Forinstance, the drainage tray should be sufficiently large to support acommon size/shape of plant container, or perhaps even a number of plantcontainers. However, as it is envisaged that a number of suchattachments may be provided along the hydroponic conduit, the drainagetray should not be so large that it will interfere with adjacentattachments, or prevent the required number of attachments being placedon a single length of hydroponic conduit. Thus, a cross-section size ofbetween 10-50 cm for the drainage tray is envisaged, with a preferredsize being between 20-30 cm.

The drainage means may be configured to promote water flow to aparticular part of the drainage means. For instance, the drainage meansmay be slightly dish shaped to promote water flow to the central portionof the drainage means. Of course, the drainage means may also beotherwise configured to promote water flow over a particular edgeregion, or towards some other part of the drainage means. If desired,the drainage means can be provided with a peripheral lip or flange, oran upstanding ridge or barrier to promote water flow into a desireddirection/area. The drainage means can also be provided with one or moreribs, projections and/or one or more grooves, gutters, channels and thelike to facilitate water flow into a desired direction/area. In apreferred embodiment, the drainage means comprises a circular drainagetray provided with an upstanding peripheral lip, and where the drainagetray tapers slightly towards a central aperture such that water willflow towards and through the central aperture.

The attachment includes a communication means to communicate water fromthe drainage means into the hydroponic conduit. Typically, thehydroponic conduit is provided with one or more openings (normally usedto grow plants in a hydroponic manner) and through which water can pass.Thus the communication means can function to pass water from thedrainage means, and through the opening into the hydroponic conduit. Ina simple form, the communication means may comprise a pipe or tube thatmay be attached to, or form part of the drainage means and which passesthrough the opening in the hydroponic conduit. The pipe or tube maycomprise a collar on the underside of the drainage tray. Suitably, thecollar is designed to allow a plurality of trays to nest into each otherto economize on packaging and transportation.

To provide stability and rigidity to the attachment, a second supportmeans may be provided. The second support means can function to assistin supporting the drainage means and/or the support means (whichsupports the plant container) onto the hydroponic conduit.

The second support means may comprise a substantially flat platformhaving attachment means to enable the second support means to beattached to the hydroponic conduit. The attachment means may comprisehooks, claws, straps, fasteners or any other type of suitable attachmentmeans. It is preferred that the attachment means allows the secondsupport means to be releasably attached to the conduit.

The substantially flat platform may be provided with an opening throughwhich the pipe or tube can pass. The opening is typically defined by acollar that provide support to the pipe or tube, thereby providingsupport to the drainage tray/support means.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

An embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to thefollowing drawings in which:

FIG. 1. Illustrates the separate components of an attachment accordingto an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2. Illustrates the attachment of FIG. 1 attached to a hydroponicconduit.

FIG. 3. Illustrates an underneath view of a second support means whichforms part of the attachment according to the embodiment.

FIG. 4. Illustrates a plan view of the support means/drainage means.

FIG. 5. Illustrates an underneath view of the support means/drainagemeans of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6. Illustrates a part length of a typical known hydroponic conduit.

FIG. 7. Illustrates a drainage tray according to a second embodiment andwhich allows several trays to nest into each other.

FIG. 8. Illustrates the tray of FIG. 7 in plan view and illustratingraised ribs on which the pot/bag can sit.

BEST MODE

Referring to the figures, and initially to FIG. 1, there is illustratedan attachment according to an embodiment of the invention whichcomprises two parts being a combined support means/drainage means 10,and a second support means 11, with FIG. 1 additionally illustratingpart of a hydroponic conduit 12.

Referring initially to hydroponic conduit 12, this conduit is known andin the embodiment comprises an oval PVC pipe of any suitable length. Theconduit 12 is provided with a number of spaced apart linearly alignedcircular openings 13 which are used to grow plants in a hydroponicmanner. Of course, although conduit 12 is described as a hydroponicconduit, a pipe or tube or similar conduit could also be used which neednot be used only for hydroponic systems.

The combined support means/drainage means 10 comprises a substantiallyflat circular drainage tray 14 having a diameter of between 25-40 cm,and being provided with an upright peripheral lip 15. The drainage tray14 is slightly concave or tapered towards a central aperture 16. Theshaping is to ensure that water will flow from any part of drainage tray14 through central aperture 16. Drainage grooves or channels 17 (bestillustrated in FIG. 4) extend radially from central aperture 16 to theperipheral lip 15. The drainage grooves function to allow water to drainfrom underneath a plant container.

Drainage tray 14 is formed of strong stout plastic material that doesnot bend, crack, sag or otherwise deform under the weight of a plantcontainer.

Referring to FIG. 2, a plant container 18 can be placed on top ofdrainage tray 14. Any water that passes out of plant container 18 willbe collected by the drainage tray and will flow across the tray and/oralong the drainage grooves 17 and through central aperture 16.

A short depending cylindrical spout 20 that is best illustrated in FIG.5 defines central aperture 16. Spout 20 has a diameter of between 2-6cm, and a length of between 2-10 cm. This can of course vary to suit.

To provide stability to the drainage tray 14 when attached to hydroponicconduit 12, a second support means 11 is provided. Second support means11 is illustrated in FIG. 1, and the underneath of second support means11 is illustrated in FIG. 3. Second support means 11 comprises asubstantially flat rectangular platform 21 that contains a centralaperture 22 that is defined by a short depending collar 23 bestillustrated in FIG. 3. Collar 23 is circular and has a diameter that isslightly larger than spout 20 on drainage tray 14. Thus, having spout 20pass through collar 23 supports drainage tray 14. Having the bottom ofdrainage grooves 17, and/or the bottom wall of drainage tray 14 abuttingagainst the top of platform 21 also support the drainage tray 14.

Another advantage with this arrangement is that drainage tray 14 can besimply lifted out from collar 23, and can also rotate about a verticalaxis. For instance, a plant container placed on drainage tray 14 can berotated manually to allow the plant to be pruned, inspected, and thelike. As well, if a number of smaller plant containers are placed on asingle drainage tray, tray 14 can be rotated manually to allow eachplant container to be inspected.

Second support means 11 is attached to conduit 12 via a pair of spacedapart clips 24 which are best illustrated in FIG. 3 and FIG. 2. Clips 24allow second support means 11 to be press-fitted to the outside wall ofconduit 12. Also, the second support means can be simply removed bypulling the clips free from the outside wall of conduit 12.

Collar 23 is designed to pass through an opening 13 in conduit 12. Thelength of collar 23 should be such that while it passes through opening13, it does not abut against the opposite wall of conduit 12 therebypreventing proper flow of water through collar 23 and along conduit 12.

Referring to FIG. 7, there is illustrated a section view of a drainagetray 30. Drainage tray 30 has a lower integrally formed collar portion31 which has a stepped configuration. This allows a number of drainagetrays to be stacked with the collar of one drainage tray passingpartially into the collar of a below drainage tray. Referring to FIG. 8,there is illustrated a plan view of the drainage tray illustrated inFIG. 7 and particularly illustrating a plurality of radially extendingribs 32. A plant pot/bag sits on top of the ribs and the ribs provide asmall spacing between the bottom of the pot/bag and the surface of thedrainage tray to allow water to drain through the collar.

In use, an existing hydroponic system can be modified to support plantcontainers by attaching one or more of the attachment means to thehydroponic conduit. The hydroponic conduit functions extremely well toretrieve waste water for recirculation, purification, or safe disposal.The attachment supports a plant container and ensures that any waterdrainage from the plant container drains into the hydroponic conduit andnot somewhere else.

It should be appreciated that various other changes and modificationscan be made to the embodiment described without departing from thespirit and scope of the invention.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A hydroponic system comprising at least oneelongate hydroponic conduit having an at least partially rigid wallhaving a plurality of openings therein, at least some of the openingshaving plants restrained in the openings for hydroponic growth, at leastone pot stand attached to the at least one hydroponic conduit, the atleast one pot stand having a support tray to support a plant or plantcontainer containing soil above and outside the at least one conduit,the support tray including drainage means adapted to collect drainageliquid passing out of the plant or plant container and a drain spout;and at least one attachment means to attach the support tray to the atleast one hydroponic conduit, the at least one attachment means havingan opening therethrough to engage the drain spout of the support trayand to direct drainage liquid into the at least one hydroponic conduit,whereby liquid used to hydrate the plant on the support tray drainsthrough the plant and into the at least one hydroponic conduit for useby the hydroponic system, wherein the attachment means includes aplatform, the platform being provided with an opening through which thedrain spout can pass, and at least one attachment clip to attach theattachment means to the at least one hydroponic conduit.
 2. Thehydroponic system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support traycomprises a drainage tray adapted to support the plant container.
 3. Thehydroponic system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the drainage meanscomprises part of the drainage tray.
 4. The hydroponic system as claimedin claim 3, wherein the drainage means comprises at least one projectionextending from the drainage tray and adapted to support the plantcontainer thereby allowing water to pass between the bottom of the plantcontainer and the drainage tray.
 5. The hydroponic system as claimed inclaim 3, wherein the drainage means comprises at least one drainagerecess in the drainage tray to allow water to pass along the drainagetray.
 6. The hydroponic system as claimed in claim 2, wherein thedrainage tray is provided with a drain opening.
 7. The hydroponic systemas claimed in claim 6, wherein the drain opening includes a collar on abottom wall of the drainage tray, the collar adapted to pass into anopening in the at least one hydroponic conduit to allow water to drainfrom the drainage tray into the at least one hydroponic conduit.
 8. Ahydroponic system comprising at least one elongate hydroponic conduithaving an at least partially rigid wall having a plurality of openingtherein, at least some of the opening having plants restrained in theopenings for hydroponic growth, at least one pot stand attached to theat least one hydroponic conduit, the at least one pot stand having asupport tray to support a plant or plant container containing soil aboveand outside the at least one conduit, the support tray includingdrainage means adapted to collect drainage liquid passing out of theplant or plant container and a drain spout; and at least one attachmentmeans to attach the support tray to the at least one hydroponic conduit,the at least one attachment means having an opening therethrough toengage the drain spout of the support tray and to direct drainage liquidinto the at least one hydroponic conduit, whereby liquid used to hydratethe plant on the support tray drains through the plant and into the atleast one hydroponic conduit for use by the hydroponic system, whereinthe support tray comprises a circular plate having a top wall and abottom wall and formed with a peripheral rim, the plate being dishshaped and having a central aperture, at least one radially extendingrib extending from the top wall and on which the plant container issupported in use, the drain spout comprising an integrally formed collardepending from the bottom wall and extending about the central apertureto drain water from the circular plate.
 9. The hydroponic system asclaimed in claim 1 including more than one pot stand attachment whereinthe at least one hydroponic conduit includes a plurality of openingsspaced over its length and a pot stand attachment is provided for morethan one of the openings.
 10. The hydroponic system as claimed in claim1 wherein the attachment means is mounted to the at least one hydroponicconduit such that the drain spout is engaged by the opening of theplatform for support and a lower portion of the drain spout is locatedat least partially in one of the openings of the at least one hydroponicconduit.